Change SA in the same shop???

MemberThread Starter

i dont know if anyone had the same situation,i moved a 1/2 year ago to a new country,and started to built a good relationship with a female SA,bought 2-3 bags plus accessoires from her.
Last time she offered me 2 birkins but none of them was my leather-type(epson and box)
i let her know politely my opinion but she seems to be upset.
Last time i asked her for bags,she said she had nothing,but she will call me ASAP she got something.
Today i was there and some other ladies had a possibility to see birkins which was not ordered.
she was busy so she send a male-very kind-SA to me.
Is it normal???
the new guy offered me some kellies and looked up some other bags in paris for me.
do you ladies think it is unpolite to ask in the future for him????
Finally we pay big bucks,so i think we can decide who should assist us???!!!!
Opinions please!!!!

Member

~H~

I think you should work with whoever you enjoy. Shopping for luxury items is supposed to be a pleasure and I hate it when SAs try to make a person feel guilty for passing on a bag. I mean these are expensive bags, if it's not the exact one you want you should be able to say no thank you without feeling guilty.
I don't have a regular SA anymore for that reason. (mine kept offering me bags in Chevre and I don't want Chevre I want Togo or Clemence and then he'd get upset and pout "but it's what you wanted" No, it wasn't! )
I just work with the one who offers to help me when I come in. I'll probably never get to see anything spectacular from the back but oh well. :shame:

hearts Hermes

If she had another SA help you, and you enjoyed his service, I would continue to work with new SA. Something similar happened to me, where I changed SA's. I just say "hello" to the 'old' SA and look for my 'new' SA.

Member

I'm so glad I unearthed this thread and I'm hoping to resurrect this same topic. Here is my dilemma: I started working with a particular SA in my local boutique earlier this year just by chance when I went in randomly to look for a scarf, but ended up walking out with a beautiful new Kelly. (Prior to this I had no "exclusive" relationship with my local H boutique, much less any particular SA, because I moved cities and as a result, started doing practically all of my "little" H purchases online.) Anyway, this SA isn't rude or anything, but she just doesn't give me the warm fuzzies (she's not particularly upbeat or sweet). My personality is such that I get really really joyful and excited when I find something I like and it bothers me that this SA acts completely indifferent and "unmoved" by my interest. Now maybe compared to her other clients I am not as "big" of a spender (I don't really know her client book so I have no actual point of comparison) or perhaps she just has a subdued personality, but I suppose it would make me feel better if I thought we had a "bond". Since then, I've gone back many times (to purchase a couple dozen new scarfs, several small leather goods, another Kelly, enamels, and a Birkin they just happened to have out...) and if it's a day she is working, I feel obliged to work exclusively with her. Lately, sometimes, I find myself intentionally shopping on the days that she is not working just so I can work with another SA without feeling like I'm betraying her. There are two other SAs whom I particularly enjoying seeing; what is the "protocol" for migrating an SA relationship?

(It is a small boutique with less than 7 SAs in total and when I come in, they all refer to me as "*****'s" client.) Does anyone have any advice for me?

Tangerine Crush

^
I have experienced almost the exact same thing you have with my local boutique. My initial SA isn't at all rude - it's just that her personality is very brusque and somehow I always feel that I'm bothering her when I ask her to check on something from another store, etc.

There is another SA who's warm and bubbly and not only doesn't seem to mind checking on alternate items, but actually suggests doing it herself. I try to go in whenever she's there, but I am still considered the first SA's client.

It is quite frustrating and has always interfered with the enjoyment one should feel when purchasing luxury items.

Since there doesn't seem to be any discreet protocal for switching SA's, I think all you can do is try to be polite and diplomatic and hope neither one gets mad at you! From a practical standpoint, all you can do is continue to call ahead to see which days your first SA is working and attempt to avoid going in then.

Member

My SA is a lovely person but i always feel that she just wants me to buy something anything really even if its not my style and colour , she does know what i like , yet the SM i also deal with makes everything feel like nothing is a bother, she would spend hours and has looking for things for me or helping me decide what would be best for my style explaining things fully to me

Member

style101 and ladyjane 963 - I'm SOOO glad and thankful that you saw this post and responded! Just today I went in and was helped by a different SA (I'll refer to my original "assigned" SA as "Joan") who helped me look for a bag that I had wanted. (It was Joan's "day off" today.) When it couldn't be found at any store, this SA offered to place a SO for me at podium!!! I ended up picking up a new scarf and enamel (partly out of appreciation, but mostly out of love for these new goodies!) before I left the store.

Interestingly, I was organizing my H receipts at home and noticed that all of my little receipt folios have Joan's business card enclosed, even when Joan was not the actual SA who helped me! Does this mean I'm forever branded as "Joan's client"? Gosh, am I wearing a big scarlett "J" on my chest? Have you experienced this as well?

Member

Lala, sounds like you've found a winner! I doubt you'll have to worry about being branded "Joan's client", if you ever were. If they really considered you off limits, this SA would probably not have helped you place an order. Just call ahead the next few visits, kind of like making an appointment to shop with her, and anytime you call with a question, ask for her.

Member

Since there doesn't seem to be any discreet protocal for switching SA's, I think all you can do is try to be polite and diplomatic and hope neither one gets mad at you! From a practical standpoint, all you can do is continue to call ahead to see which days your first SA is working and attempt to avoid going in then.

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In my local store I have 4 different SAs that I consider equally to be "my SA". Which one of them I see is usually decided by which one is there, how busy they are, if they are with other customers etc.
From my personal experience it's not a problem. I still speak to them all when I see them, I don't feel rude for not being "exclusive" to one particular SA. It's just who's working at the time I go.

I refuse to play games or feel guilty for shopping with whoever I wish. It's my money, my decision.

Member

This sounds like too much of a game to me. How some SAs act, its like we're working for them!

In my local store I have 4 different SAs that I consider equally to be "my SA". Which one of them I see is usually decided by which one is there, how busy they are, if they are with other customers etc.
From my personal experience it's not a problem. I still speak to them all when I see them, I don't feel rude for not being "exclusive" to one particular SA. It's just who's working at the time I go.

I refuse to play games or feel guilty for shopping with whoever I wish. It's my money, my decision.

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I could not agree more with you, JustinCredible........... I always buy from any SA who is available ...........